Deep Vein Thrombosis: DVT Symptoms, Treatment, Causes, And More

“Health is wealth” we all have heard this at some point in our life, but do we really treat health as our first priority? The answer is ‘No’ and its harsh reality of the 21st century. In this era of technology, things have become a lot easier, but with everything comes some problems, and so the case with the modern lifestyle, which has brought many health problems like DVT with it. The problem with such things is that most people even don’t know about DVT symptoms and thus lack awareness. 

Deep Vein Thrombosis or DVT is something which occurs due to the way blood clots in the body. The DVT symptoms are something which very few people are aware of as it is a problem which occurs due to our modern lifestyles, like when we sit in one place for a long time without movement. Most people don’t even take it seriously, but this can lead to serious problems like pulmonary embolism if left untreated. 

To help you understand the DVT symptoms and other aspects of this disease, we bring all the information for it in this article. You will find the DVT’s various aspects in the article, including DVT symptoms, causes, risk factors, and more. The information in the article will help you understand this disease better and inspire you to change your lifestyle. 

What Is DVT?

To understand it better, the first thing to know is What Is DVT? The answer to this question is that DVT is the formation of a blood clot in the body’s deep veins. Clotting generally happens in the body parts like legs due to an unhealthy lifestyle like sitting in one place for long time periods. The common DVT symptoms include swelling and pain; however, DVT generally doesn’t show any symptoms in most cases; thus hard to identify. 

Deep vein thrombosis other than an unhealthy lifestyle can also occur due to certain medical conditions that affect the body’s blood clotting ability. In some cases, it can also happen if you don’t move for a long time, like after a surgery or accident.

DVT Symptoms 

Signs of DVT only occur in half of the people that suffer from the condition. According to the Center for disease control and prevention, some common DVT symptoms are:

• Swelling in the ankle, leg, or foot specifically on its one side. 
• Cramping pain beginning from your calf in the leg affected by the DVT.
• Unexplained and severe pain in the ankle and foot. 
• A certain area of the skin feels warm in comparison to the surrounding areas. 
• The skin on the area affected turns bluish, pale, or reddish. 

People suffering from upper extremity DVT or blood clotting in the arm may also not see any common DVT symptoms. Some of the symptoms which may occur in some people include:

• Pain in shoulder
• Neck pain
• Swelling in hand and arm
• Blue-tinted color of the skin
• Feeling of pain moving from one place to another, like an arm to forearm. 
• Weakness in the affected hand.

These are some of the common DVT symptoms which may occur in the person affected with deep vein thrombosis. Generally, people may not see any symptoms and not even find that they are suffering from DVT until they are treated for diseases like pulmonary embolism. Signs of DVT thus can be seen or not and depends on person to person.

A pulmonary embolism in a person can happen when the DVT clot moves from the leg or arm to the lungs. When this happens, it may block an artery in the lung, which is a serious life-threatening condition, and emergency care is needed in such situations. 

DVT Causes

Primary DVT causes are blood clots, and DVT symptoms like the change of skin color occur due to it. The blood clotting in a vein prevents proper circulation of the blood in the body as it blocks the vein. Blood clotting may occur due to various reasons in the body. Some of the reasons are:

Injury

A blood clot may form as the result of damage to the blood vessels due to any injury. The injury could block or narrow the vessel, thus resulting in blood flow stoppage.

Surgery

A blood clot may also happen if a blood vessel gets damaged in surgery, thus resulting in vein blockage. Bed rest after a surgery or accident may also increase the risk of a blood clot as while on rest, the movement is restricted. 

Reduced Inactivity or Mobility

When a person sits in one place for a long time, the blood can get accumulated in the legs, specifically the lower body parts. If you are unable to move for longer time periods, this may lead to low blood pressure and flow in the legs. This can lead to blood clot development in the veins. If this happens, you can see the starting DVT symptoms like swelling and pain in the legs.

Certain Medications

Some particular medications can also increase blood clot formation chances. 

These are some of the common DVT causes which can result in the formation of the Deep Vein Thrombosis. 

DVT Treatment

DVT is a severe health condition that requires immediate attention once recognized. One of the best things you can do for DVT treatment is to consult the healthcare professional as soon as possible. If you feel like you are suffering from DVT first thing to do is visit the nearest emergency room as they can check for DVT symptoms. 

DVT treatment mainly focuses on the prevention of blood clot growth. In addition to this, DVT treatment also helps in the prevention of related diseases like pulmonary embolism and thus lowers the DVT risk factors like the formation of more blood clots. 

DVT Medication

One of the most prescribed medications by the doctors for DVT treatment includes blood thinner medicines. Some of the common medicines are:

• Heparin
• Warfarin
• Enoxaparin
• Fondaparinux

These medicines make it hard for your blood to clot and thus lowering the signs of DVT and DVT risk factors. They also ensure that the already existing blood clots remain as small as possible while reducing the chances of new clot formation. 

In cases where blood-thinning medicines don’t work, like in serious DVT cases, the doctor may prescribe the use of thrombolytic drugs. People suffering from the upper extremity DVT symptoms and see the signs of DVT may also benefit from these medications. 

Other DVT Treatments

Some other things and methods which the doctors use for the DVT treatment include:

• Use of compression stockings as they may prevent swelling, thus lowering the chances of blood clot development.
• Installing the filters in the veins. A doctor might put a filter inside the abdominal vein, which prevents the entry of blood clots in the lungs. Although filters have links associated with them as if left in vein for a long time, they themselves may cause DVT. 
• DVT surgery is another way of DVT treatment which doctors suggest to remove blood clots from legs or arms. Surgery is only recommended in cases where the doctor feels the DVT symptoms are severe and poses serious health risks due to large clots or the clots are causing things like tissue damage. 

DVT Risk Factors

Dvt symptoms are seen commonly in people over the age of 50. Although it can happen at a young age also. Some DVT risk factors which may lead to DVT formation include:

• Having injuries like bone fractures, which can damage the veins.
• Overweight puts pressure on the veins of the pelvis and legs.
• History of DVT in the family
• Having a catheter in the veins
• Using birth control pills or going through the hormone therapy
• Smoking
• Staying seated for a long period of the time

These are some of the DVT risk factors which may lead to DVT in a person. Thus if you are prone to any of these risk factors, be careful and watch out for DVT symptoms. 

Bottom Line

Deep vein thrombosis is a serious health condition that can lead to many health problems in a person. Although the DVT symptoms are not common, and over half of people suffering from it don’t even realize it. Thus if you feel that you may be suffering from the DVT, consult a health professional and get yourself treated as it may lead to serious health problems. 

Now, as you know, all the things about the DVT and the DVT symptoms; talk to your doctor next time if you feel at risk. In the article, you will find all the information which will help you to better understand the DVT.